Megan Young. Image: Instagram/@meganbata
The final question in the Miss World 2013 pageant held in Bali, Indonesia was ”Why should you be the next Miss World?”
“A Miss World treasures the core value of humanity and that guides her into understanding people: why they act the way that they do, how they live in their lives,” Megan Young, then 23 years old, representing the Philippines, answered.
Shortly after this, Young was crowned Miss World, succeeding Wenxia Yu. When she accepted her crown, even at a loss for words, she promised to be the “best Miss World ever.”
She did not say this at the time, but she is also the “first Miss World ever” for the Philippines.
Eight years later, Young is no longer at a loss for words about speaking her mind. She has been open about her personal and professional life — from her numerous product promotions, travels, her recent marriage, and body image issues — to her millions of followers on Instagram since.
Back in October, she reminisced about the night she was hailed as the country’s representative for Miss World on Instagram.
“This happened 8 years ago, officially Tita Bonez na ako, but tonight, a new queen will be crowned and I am so excited for her to represent the Philippines (This happened 8 years ago, I’m officially Tita Bonez already, but tonight, a new queen will be crowned and I am so excited for her to represent the Philippines),” she said. “Who do you see as our next Miss World Philippines?”
Her successor, Tracy Maureen Perez, was crowned three days later on Oct.10. Perez secured a spot in the Miss World pageant’s top 30 contestants last Dec. 10 and earned a top 5 spot in the pageant’s Beauty with a Purpose challenge yesterday.
She stands on Young’s shoulders and hopes to win the country’s second Miss World crown tomorrow, Dec. 17.
Everyone hopes that she has what it takes to win, but before anything else, what does it take to win a Miss World crown in the first place?
To know this, we look at the blueprint: the queen, what she’s up to, and what her advocacies are years after winning.
Perhaps one of Megan’s biggest projects both in her life and career is her relationship with fellow influencer Mikael Daez. Before they tied the knot (twice, in Nasugbu and Subic) last January 2020, they had been together for nine years, which is not only enough time to test-run a life together but also enough time to gain a loyal internet following.
They celebrated their first wedding anniversary this year.
“Sabi ko kay Fofo (I told Fofo), it’s crazy how we’re growing old together. We sat in silence for just a bit, thinking about the days and years ahead,” Young wrote on her Instagram page last Jan. 10. “I then looked at him and we were both teary eyed. Cheers to more years together!! Looking forward to our future – Lola Bonez and Lolo Fofo #bonezfofo #labyu #cheesybonez”
Now together for 10 years, Young and Daez are still transparent about their relationship. They share snapshots of their life on Instagram and even dish out relationship advice in their podcast “Behind Relationship Goals.”
The two are also travel buddies, taking trips around the world and more recently around the country. Like everyone else during the pandemic, Megan yearned to travel across Philippine borders again and shared that she regrets not taking more photos and videos of her trips abroad.
This led her to open her “baul” of travel snippets and memories, specifically of Japan, which she shared on her Instagram last June.
In the last year, Young visited and enjoyed more of our local islands. She got in on the Siargao fever and shared her island hopping experience, also on her Instagram page last March.
The influencer said that she was going to make the most out of her last day in Siargao by going to the beach, having some coffee, and eating “delicious” food.
Young is no stranger to “delicious” food. Opening up about her experience with starving herself to keep up with “body goals,” the model said that she now sees her health in a new light: that her body should not be perfect. It should be healthy, and that it could be nourished by a healthy diet (with a few “naughty” meals on the side).
“A throwback to 2019 in La Union. This photo is a reminder that I probably achieved my “summer body goals” back then but the journey to get there was tough because of dieting and long hours at the gym. Hindi ako masaya sa food ko noon – ang konti at halos walang lasa (I was not happy with the food I ate then, it was so little and tasted like nothing.),” Young said on her Instagram page last April.
“Nowadays, I’m not aiming for the ‘perfect body’ but I’m aiming to have a healthier one. I’m eating better – may lasa na ang food and we’re eating mostly pescatarian (with the weekly burger). I’m listening to my body more and resting when I need to. And at the end of the day, I try not to be too hard on myself. #fitnessjourney”
It seems like Young has gone beyond the “body goals” mentality of Instagram, and it seems like she’s encouraging her followers to do the same.
While she still keeps active, she makes sure that her mind, body and spirit are healthy as much as possible. She does not even mind joking about missing a workout for a nap every now and then.
As a self-proclaimed #Tita, Megan also shares positive affirmations with her followers. Her latest affirmations Instagram reel raked 1.7 million views. In the post, she shared how affirmations have helped her gain more confidence in herself and accept what she can improve on.
“I am capable of learning new things. / I will not compare myself. / It’s okay to ask for help. / I will be kinder to myself. / My goal is possible,” Megan wrote to her 2.9 million followers last Dec. 5. “Affirmation for my inner ‘marites’: I will be okay without knowing everything.”
Back in 2013, Megan Young promised that she would be the “best Miss World ever.” While no one may ever know if she was, there’s no denying that her stride, perspective and drive have only gotten stronger after almost a decade since her coronation. She is the best first Miss World the Philippines could ask for. JB
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